Accountability for Safety

Don Fronk, Safety Programs Manager

Susan Rutan, Manager Human Resources

Office of Physical Plant, The Pennsylvania State University

Objectives

• Provide a framework for developing a safety accountability program

• Share our story – what we have done, the impact & lessons learned

• Motivate YOU to enhance or develop a safety accountability program

Program Agenda

• Create a common understanding of accountability (What?)

• The case for safety accountability (Why?)

• The basic steps for growing safety accountability (How?)

• The players (Who?)

• Our Story

• Discussion

Understanding Accountability (The What)

• Personal accountability

• Workplace accountability

• Safety accountability

The Case for Safety Accountability (The Why)

• Safety accountability helps protect people

• Accountability for safety moves the culture forward

Basic framework for safety accountability (The How)

• Leadership commitment

• Safety programs THE FOUNDATION -

• Robust training & education SAFETY CULTURE

• Employee involvement

• Clear expectations and roles SAFETY ACCOUNTABILITY

• Encouragement and enforcement MODEL

Players in developing safety accountability (The Who)

• Senior management

• HR management – if not part of senior management

• Safety management & staff

• Mid-management

• Front line supervisors

• Union – depending on contractual language

• Employee (safety committees)

THE PENN STATE STORY

Penn State Office of Physical Plant Story

• The foundation – growing our safety culture• Senior leadership focused on safety & communication of the

commitment

• Safety programs developed, documented, communicated & available

• Robust training & informational programs

• Employee involvement

Senior Leadership Commitment

• OPP Vision Statement – We are recognized nationally for excellence in facilities, environmental & safety management.

• OPP Guiding Principles – We provide an enjoyable, healthy, and safe work environment.

• OPP Quality Service Action Plan – Safe Environment (Providing for the health and safety of people and the environment through daily work processes, environmental protection, maintenance practices, and facilities design.

Senior Leadership CommitmentOffice of Physical Plant

Safety Mission Statement

OPP’s employees are its cornerstone. Employee safety is a core value of OPP and is crucial to its success. It is every employee’s responsibility to help create and foster a proactive safety mindset while actively working to make OPP a safer place to work. All employees must embrace the idea of working safely at all times. Expectations to accomplish this mission are:

All employees will be involved and actively participate in our safety programs. Each employee must make safety planning a significant part of any job process, before

the work starts. All employees will be responsible and accountable for their personal safety, as well as

the safety of those around them. Every employee is empowered and encouraged to speak up when encountering an

unsafe situation or act. Every leader will provide necessary safety resources and take responsibility for making

improvements to the workplace so work can be performed safely.

These efforts will foster a safety culture throughout the organization and result in fewer employees being injured at work.

Senior Leadership Commitment

• OPP Performance Criteria

• Resource Commitment• 4 full-time safety professionals (for 1300 FTE workforce)

• Org-wide funding set-aside for safety (programmatic & facilities)

• Unit operational budgets funded for safety training

Safety Programs

• Safety program development and review teams include employees

• Safety programs accessible on the web upon implementation

Safety Programs

• Electrical Safety / Arc Flash

• Control of Hazardous Energy

• Excavation Safety

• Confined Space

• Fall Protection

• Scaffolding

Robust Safety Training & Information

• OSHA awareness training for all employees

• OSHA 30 hour outreach training for all trades supervisors, managers and project leaders

• OSHA 10 hour outreach training for design staff

• Safety awareness training for new employees

• Ongoing programmatic training (trade specific) and annual refreshers

• Supervisor’s toolbox talks and bi-monthly safety training topics

New Employee Awareness Training

Trade-specific training matrixCore Training Matrix Input FormAssessment Team Tim Zerby, Mike Kelleher, Wes Kaluzny, Mike TepsicTrade Code 323, 423, 923Job Title Heating + Ventilation

Course / Topic Area FrequencyS-Lock Out/Tag Out I,AS-Confined Space I,AS-Fall Protection I,AS-PPE Safety/Guidelines IS-Back Safety and Lifting I,AS-Aerial Lift Certification I, 3 yrsS-Hand Tool Safety IS-Asbestros Awareness I,AS-Respiratory Proetction/Fit Testing I,AS-Hot Work Permit IS-Chemical Waste Management I,AS-NFPA 70E I

Employee Involvement

• ISP Participation • 92 hourly employees involved

• Employees empowered to make decisions regarding safe work

• Hazard assessments

• Safety improvements to the work environment

• PPE selection

The Foundation is Built

THE OPP SAFETY ACCOUNTABILTY MODEL

• The Safety Accountability Matrix

• The Mechanism for Accountability

Building the Model of Safety Accountability

• The Safety Accountability Matrix - Clarify expectations & roles

• Identified the roles & expectations for each safety program area

• Developed matrix

Program Area HR / Safety Office Manager Supervisor Employee         Personal Protective Equipment Program -Eye / face protection -Head protection -Respiratory protection -Hearing protection -Flash Gear -Protective footwear

Who? All employees

Develop, revise and evaluate program, develop and provide training, spec and approve PPE, work with OPP Stores to stock needed equipment, evaluate effectiveness of equipment, consult with Managers, Supervisors as the subject area expert.

Hold supervisors accountable for ensuring compliance with program and other safety responsibilities, provide funding.

Have a thorough understanding of PPE requirements, conduct PPE Hazard assessments, assist with training, ensure compliance with the program, and hold employees accountable.

Utilize appropriate PPE for task as identified in hazard assessment, complete medical surveillances as needed, maintain PPE in good condition, provide feedback on PPE type and styles.

       

Driver Safety

Who? All Employees

Develop and revise vehicle operation safety guidelines, consult with equipment custodian on vehicle purchases, safety mechanism installs, review and track all vehicle accidents and work with Risk Mgmt. on corrective actions.

Support guidelines, hold supervisors accountable for ensuring compliance with program and other safety responsibilities, provide funding as needed.

Ensure compliance with policies, wearing seatbelts, cell phone policy and other MV laws and hold employees accountable, file accident reports.

Wear seatbelts, and follow OPP Vehicle safety guidelines. Comply with cell phone policy, report accidents and near misses.

         

Injury Reporting / Accident Investigation

Who? All Employees

Review and approve all injury reports, assign / participate in accident investigations as necessary, perform trending analysis, track injury data and provide to Managers, Supervisors for their units, work with Supervisors on modified duty assignments.

Hold Supervisors accountable for timely filing, and for investigations, provide funding for corrective action items that are within their area of responsibility.

Report injury electronically within 24 hours, complete accident investigations assist in getting corrective action items completed, provide modified work assignments where possible.

Report all injuries to Supervisor immediately when it occurs. Participate in the investigation and recommendations for corrective action.

Program Area HR / Safety Office Manager Supervisor Employee         

Electrical Safety Program (Mechanical Trades)

Develop, revise and evaluate program develop and provide training, work with electrical engineering to determine hazard categories of electrical systems, spec, approve and purchase PPE, consult with Managers, Supervisors as the subject area expert.

Hold supervisors accountable for ensuring compliance with program and other safety responsibilities, provide funding, support de‐ energized work.

Have a thorough understanding of the program and consult with employees on basic safety questions, provide tools and equipment necessary for safe electrical work, ensure compliance with program, hold employees accountable.

Understand and comply with program, wear appropriate clothing and PPE for troubleshooting. De‐ energize prior to working.

Lock out Tag Out (All Trades)

Develop, revise and evaluate program, develop and provide training, issue locks and track lock assignments, consult with Managers, Supervisors as the subject area expert.

Hold supervisors accountable for ensuring compliance with program and other safety responsibilities, provide funding.

Have a thorough understanding of the program and consult with employees on basic safety questions, provide equipment, ensure compliance with program and hold employees accountable, notify safety office of lock assignments.

Understand and comply with program, wear appropriate PPE, verify energy sources are de‐ energized.

 

Building the Model of Safety Accountability

• Develop mechanisms for accountability • Developed parameters for enforcement

• Utilized existing employee recognition program

• Get senior leadership buy-in on model & parameters for enforcement

OPP Parameters for Enforcement

• Conversation (undocumented)

• 1st violation of most PPE usage (except Flash gear and Fall Protection)

• Letter of conversation

• 2nd violation of most PPE usage (accumulated for any type of PPE violation)

• Failure to follow safety policy or procedure

• Warning letter

• Failure to wear PPE to that could result in serious injury or death (w/ last chance warning)

• Failure to follow safety procedures that could result in serious injury or death (w/ last chance warning)

• Repeated or willful violations of safety policies or procedures (accumulated for any type of violation)

• Summary dismissal/dismissal

• Willfully engaging in behavior that creates a life/safety hazard for themselves or others

• Repeat violations of safety policies or procedures (3 active WL language)

• Repeat violation of those things listed under W.L. with last chance warning

Launching the Safety Accountability Model

• Communication with all supervisors (train the trainer format)

• Communication with union leadership

• Supervisors communicated safety responsibility matrix with all employees

Growing the Culture of Safety Accountability

• Highlight in new employee orientation

• Hold employees accountable under the model

• Review and update of Safety Responsibility Matrix

• Train new supervisors on the model and parameters for enforcement

Impact of Safety Accountability Model

• Positive trend of injury reduction

• Increase of safety reports by employees

• Demonstrates organizational focus on safety

• Forces clarity in safety programs and policies

Increase in safety reports

• Employee safety reports have increased over the last several years

Impact of Safety Accountability Model

• Positive trend of injury reduction

• Increase of safety reports by employees

• Demonstrates organizational focus on safety

• Forces clarity in safety programs and policies

Lesson Learned

• Keep safety staff out of enforcement

• Supervisor/manager input on parameters for enforcement

• Ensure training reflects expectations and document attendance

• Highlights supervisors who are reluctant to hold employees accountable

• Holding injured employees accountable is really tough

Questions/Discussion